This invention relates to guide tracks for vehicle windows, and more particularly to adjustable guide tracks for such windows.
The side windows on automotive vehicles are usually movable between open positions concealed within the vehicle doors and raised positions closing the open area above the outer door panel. In hard top vehicles the upper portion of the door usually includes a peripheral frame structure having a weatherstip adapted to form a seal with the edge of the window when the window is in the raised (closed) position. In convertible (soft top) vehicles, the door has no upper peripheral frame structure; the window is required to seal against a weatherstrip carried by the fabric structure that forms the upper roof portion of the vehicle.
In convertible type vehicles, the fabric top structure is movably supported for adjustment between a lowered position within the vehicle body and a raised position in which it forms the vehicle roof. Due to folding requirements for the fabric top, the fabric top has limited support when it is in the raised position. Consequently the weatherstrip on the fabric top structure can sometimes fail to seal properly along the upper edge of the side window. The exact position and angulation of the weather-strip relative to the window can vary from one vehicle to another vehicle, so that there is a window sealing problem in convertible type vehicles that is not present with hard top vehicles.
In a typical vehicle manufacturing operation each completed vehicle is subjected to a water spray test for locating potential water leakage paths between the vehicle side windows and the associated weather-strip. When the water spray test detects a leakage condition, it is necessary to adjust the stroke of the window so that the upper edge of the window seals against the associated weather-strip, but without excessive distortion or stretching of the fabric top, or the development of an excessive sealing force that might interfere with an easily accomplished adjustment of the fabric top from the lowered position to the raised position.
Adjustment of the window movement stroke after the vehicle is fully assembled, is not easily achieved, due to the fact that the window guide structure is completely concealed by the door outer panel and the door inner trim panel. The inner trim panel can be removed from the door, but some time is required for the removal operation. Also, the trim panel has to be re-attached to the door after adjustment of the window guide structure (which takes a certain amount of time). In a production environment, where vehicles are continually coming off the production line, the time required to remove and re-install an interior trim panel on the vehicle door can be a disruptive factor.
The present invention relates to an adjustable guide track system for a vehicle window, wherein the guide track can be adjusted vertically to vary the raised position of the window while the door is in the fully assembled condition; the door trim panel does not have to be removed from the door in order to adjust the window guide track.
In preferred practice of the invention, the window guide structure includes a vertically-disposed guide track having a stop at its upper end for limiting upward movement of the window to the raised position. The location of the stop determines the raised position of the window, and the orientation of the window upper edge relative to an associated weather-strip on the vehicle. The vertically-disposed guide structure is provided with an adjustment mechanism, whereby the guide structure can be raised or lowered to change the location of the stop and the orientation of the window upper edge to the associated weather-strip.
A major feature of the invention is that the trim panel on the inner face of the door has a small access opening aligned with a mechanism for adjusting and clamping the window guide in a fixed position of adjustment. The window guide can be adjusted vertically, and clamped in an adjusted position, without removing the trim panel from the door. Thus, the operation of repositioning the window guide in an optimum location in the door can be accomplished in a minimal time period, (without removing the trim panel from the door).
Further features of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.